Newt Gingrich: Republicans Shouldn't Back Down From Obama In Debt Ceiling Fight (VIDEO)

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — Congressional Republicans should not relent in the battle with President Barack Obama over raising the federal debt ceiling, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said during a presidential campaign swing through South Carolina on Tuesday.

When he was speaker, the Republicans' fight over the budget with President Bill Clinton closed down the government in 1995 and 1996.

"In that process the American people looked up and said they wanted a smaller government," Gingrich said.

"What Republicans shouldn't do is try to back down from this fight," Gingrich said to loud applause from about 150 people attending a town hall meeting organized by the Charleston Tea Party. South Carolina is holding the South's first GOP primary.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell offered on Tuesday to hand the president powers to avert the first-ever government default threatened for Aug. 2. But Gingrich said he doesn't know what McConnell was trying to accomplish.

"The Washington media will tell you we made a huge mistake closing the federal government in 1995 and 1996," he said. "I will tell you as one of the people who did it – baloney."

"I'm deeply opposed to Senator McConnell's plan," he said of the Republican leader's plan during an appearance on Fox News' "Hannity" on Tuesday night. "First, it transfers enormous power to the president. Second, in the real world, it will be easy for the president to get 34 Democratic senators to sustain his veto. So there will be no real cuts."

Gingrich added, "The way it is written I think is basically a surrender by the Republicans. Now is the time to be calm, courageous, creative and clear."

He said Republicans in Congress during his time showed the American people they were serious enough about balancing the budget they were willing to let the government close.

"I would say to the Republicans in Washington today that you have to have the courage to stand for what you believe in. You have to trust that the American people are smarter than the elite media thinks they are and the political consultants think they are. You have to be able to go nose-to-nose with the president to win the argument."

"When you do, the country will award you with a dozen more seats in the Senate and 30 or 40 more House seats and a Republican president and we will have this country back on the road to prosperity," Gingrich said.

It was Gingrich's second visit to South Carolina since announcing he would seek the GOP presidential nomination.

On Wednesday, he speaks to executives from the South Carolina's electric cooperatives during a meeting in Charleston.

Below, video of what Gingrich had to say on Fox News on Tuesday night.

WATCH:

 

 

Comments

[roc-o-rama]

11:53 PM on 07/14/2011

"You have to be able to go nose-to-nose with the president to win the argument. When you do, the country will award you with a dozen more seats in the Senate and 30 or 40 more House seats and a Republican president and we will have this country back on the road to prosperity," Gingrich said.

Poor guy he really needs to take a step back when his wife is spraying that aerosol hairspray on her helmet head, he's becoming even more delusional.

[archstantn]

01:45 PM on 07/14/2011

"...the American people looked up and said they wanted a smaller government­."... What American people?....White, Christian, uneducated, well-connected, American people. The only people the Republican Party represents.

[builderman55]

09:42 AM on 07/14/2011

Let us now crown the King of Irrelevancy! Shouldn't you be sleeping with an intern about now Newtie?

[David Wertheimer]

08:56 PM on 07/13/2011

that is the Truth Obama could very well be the 1st president in american history to default.
so when the Nobel Peace prize committee awarded Obama for what he is going to do. I bet they was not expecting what he was going to do was Fail.

[krug1]

06:40 PM on 07/13/2011

1. Why shouldn't the Federal Gov't. be held to the same budget standards of the States, ie., an emphatic 'must do' to living within it's revenues and not incurring debt? It's good economics, good common sense, and will maintain the trust of the citizenry.
2. Isn't it a shame that so many of our 'leaders' and 'public servants' at all levels of government have lost the trust of the working people, the average 'joe' who daily tries to meet life's challenges?
3. Why should we continue to place people into office and public employment, who care more about advancing their own 'agenda' than either protect or advance the general welfare of their fellow citizens?
4. Isn't it time for people to stop listening to the 'talking heads' from both sides, the pundants, the politically-correct folks, and the un-thinking, uncompromising hard left/hard right folks and just come out...throw out the 'establishment' politicians from all sides, and get involved in proper governance ourselves......open-minded to concerns of all, judiciously handling the public treasury, never going into debt (balance budget amendment? a good idea, maybe?)....
5. Let's all stop pretending to have all the answers, and to be wary of those who think they do.
6. Show respect to all. Relax a bit, smile often.
7. Know that we each are only here for a short while, when we're gone few will know or really care, But we can each make a difference it we try.

[Golfrrs]

05:55 PM on 07/13/2011

All this talk from a guy whose poll numbers are close to a goose egg and his fund raising is barely enough to keep this Tiffany account open.

[PresidentBarackObama2012]

05:25 PM on 07/13/2011

"When he was speaker, the Republicans' fight over the budget with President Bill Clinton closed down the government in 1995 and 1996."

Yeah, that worked out very well, didn't it?

[cloudynights]

05:01 PM on 07/13/2011

"In that process the American people looked up and said they wanted a smaller government." - Newt Gingrich.

"It's not a lie if you believe it."
- George Costanza.

[Littlewords]

04:55 PM on 07/13/2011

Two things to dispel Newt's nonstop reck1ess rhetoric...

1) Simply look at the mess in Minnesota and multiply by a factor of 100. The answer equals a massive problem.

2) Simply look at the result of Newt's last attempt to shut down the Gov't. His own party tossed him out on his ear from his Speaker role over his reck1essness and America too was done with him as Speaker with approval polling at a shameful level of only 25%.

[cuoi]

04:48 PM on 07/13/2011

Newt was neutered some time ago. He is the republican token eunuch.

[Littlewords]

04:45 PM on 07/13/2011

Hey Newt, where's you campaign and strategy team members? Oh right, you, your ego, and they together tried but could not fit in the campaign rooms and aircraft so the team departed to make room for Newt and his excessively massive ego.

[Littlewords]

04:28 PM on 07/13/2011

"The Washington media will tell you we made a huge mistake closing the federal government in 1995 and 1996," he said. "I will tell you as one of the people who did it – baloney."

...said the greatly tarnished and failed prior House Speaker who was tossed out of leadership by his own party over his remiss position and active role trying to shut down the Gov't.

[judesuper]

04:06 PM on 07/13/2011

Newt who? It this guy still around?

[Climp Jones]

04:00 PM on 07/13/2011

If Newt begins cross dressing, salubriously fawns over me I will seriously consider voting for him

[annekeb68]

03:52 PM on 07/13/2011

Newt, Newt, Newt. Can't you get anything right? Being Speaker of the House was the last real job you held and you were kicked out. What have you done lately?

[sackman]

04:24 PM on 07/13/2011

Thats right , We need this guy , hes done more to help get Dems elected than anybody.

[annekeb68]

05:19 PM on 07/13/2011

Maybe we should make sure he wins the nomination.